Gustave Loiseau: Villa Julia — where Pont-Aven artists gathered

Exhibitions: Musee du Prieure, 1981
Musee du Pont-Aven June 30 - October 2001

Literature: Le Paul, Judy "Gauguin and the Impressionists at Pont Aven".  Abbeville Press, New York, 1987, illus. page 37

Gustave Loiseau was one such French painter drawn to the atmosphere of the quaint village of Pont-Aven, arriving there for the first time on May 11, 1890. Here, his style and reputation as one of the foremost Impressionists of the time flourished, as he befriended and was influenced by such great painters as Paul Gauguin and Maxime Maufra. Throughout his life, he traveled extensively but would always return to Pont-Aven. During the 1920s, Loiseau created a series of paintings of the village of Pont-Aven, with The Hôtel Julia, Pont-Aven being the most significant of these works.

These paintings are characterized by Divisionist brushwork and a palette of cool blues and creams, tempered with dabs of orange. This work brings to life of the village, where the Hôtel des Voyageurs was the heart of Pont-Aven. It is an excellent example of his experimental brushwork and a historic record of where these artists gathered, spoke, and painted during this important period.